Ex‑Zambian Minister Killed Amid Post‑Election Security Raid



Mutotwe Kafwaya
Mutotwe Kafwaya’s death confirmed days after a raid by security forces.


A former Zambian cabinet minister, Mutotwe Kafwaya, was killed in a firefight during a security operation conducted on Friday, the police said. The raid took place in Lusaka at a house linked to opposition leader Brian Mundubile, who escaped into hiding after the presidential election on 19 August.


Police spokesman Lawrence Sanyambe described the incident as a “shoot‑out” that “involved gunfire and resistance from unknown individuals.” Eleven people were arrested during the operation, and the authorities accused Mundubile’s National Reform Party of Unlawful Politics (NRPUP) of “militia activity” and possession of “high‑grade” weapons.


Mundubile, who scored 38% of the vote, has labeled the accusations as “total fabrications” and said he will challenge the election results in court after alleging that the tallying process had been tampered with.


Kafwaya, 49, first entered Parliament in 2016 and was appointed Minister of Works in 2018 by former President Edgar Lungu. He moved to the transport ministry in 2019 and served there until 2021, when Lungu was defeated by Hakainde Hichilema in the presidential contest. Kafwaya remained an opposition MP until his death.


The EU election observation mission noted that the counting process deteriorated significantly after a six‑hour pause, citing violence against staff and alleged ballot‑box theft. The mission called for “maximal transparency” over the poll outcome and warned that restrictions on opposition campaigning had led to an uneven contest.


The Human Rights Commission in Zambia has urged accountability for those missing after arrests and security operations, demanding that detainees be brought to court or released and that unlawful detentions be investigated independently.


These events underscore the volatile nature of Zambia’s post‑election landscape, raising concerns over the rule of law, security protocols, and the protection of civil liberties in the lead‑up to the next electoral cycle.